Ready for Round Two?

"Lemme get out of this, okay?" Jesseye asked before bouncing out of the van and into the garage to change.

Jazza bobbed her head before climbed out as well. Glancing back at Shane, she asked,"How's another round at Tony's sound?"

Shane shrugged as he scrounged through his cloths bin. "I'm down."

Jazzabella smiled and sauntered inside after her housemate, grinning at her place. This money was helping her achieve her dream too. She'd been able to upgrade the shop, replace Gramps' old tools, buy a new creeper, and even get a new stove for Jess. The dark skinned woman snickered lowly to herself upon entering the back apartment. Not to mention she'd purchased some more makeup to impress a certain someone.

Shane pulled down his new T then hopped out of his van and headed in after the girls. "I think we should walk today." He proposed with a smile, leaning against the work table with his hands in his pockets. "The night's cool. And it's just down the road."

Jesseye glanced to her sister and shrugged, "Sounds good to me."

"Guess no heels for me," Jazza feigned a sigh, pulling on her stylin' black ankle boots instead.

"And...Jazz," he couldn't help calling at her upgraded apparel, "Are you wearing makeup?" He asked with an eyebrow raised. Hadn't she told them what a dud her date had been?

The black woman smirked at the kitchen mirror as she fluffed her hair a bit,"I do that occasionally." She said smoothly.

Jesseye nodded,"She does." She agreed innocently, smiling down at her jean jacket. Shane rolled his eyes. She let her sister dress up for a few more minutes before growing impatient, "Jazzabellaaa," she whined, pulling at her arm. "We're gonna leave youuu."

The other woman scoffed,"Fine, I'm coming." She shook her head and followed them out, making sure the garage was locked first of course.

Shane grinned as they walked down the road, filling his lungs with the cool night air. "I like nights like this." He announced, looking up at the sparkling stars. "They're so quiet and calming."

Jazzebella nodded in agreement,"Mmmhhm." She smiled at Jess and intentionately hung back a bit.

The ginger looked at her in slight alarm but walked next to Shane,"Yeah, it is." She breathed the night air deeply. Loving the chill it exuberated her with, she squealed and skipped ahead. She jumped into a twirl only to trip and nearly fall onto her face.

Instantly Shane ran ahead to help her. "You ok?"

Jazza chuckled from the back. "Yeah, I'm good!" Jesseye joined in with a nervous one and brushed herself off. "This day's really turning around. Thanks, Shane, for helping us with this." She addressed with an affectionate sparkle to her eyes.

He smiled, but modestly shrugged. "Yeah, of course." He replied with a nod. Why was his chest tight? All he did was help her up, there was nothing to be nervous about! "I'm just glad I can help." He said with a small grin as he stuck his hands in his pockets. "I'll try my best to always help." He promised with a soft glance over to her.

Jesseye grinned at the sky,"Me too," she said, simply enjoying being next to him. One perk of living near the edge of a smaller town she supposed -- stars always twinkled overhead.

As they closed in on the restaurant after only fifteen minutes, Jazzebella took the lead. The door bell rang to announce her entrance. She grinned when she saw the lanky black man she'd become so fond of. "Hey Tones, have a table for us?" She asked with a small smirk.

A smile spread across Tony's face as he turned to see his friends. He gave them each a hug. This was perfect timing. One of his tables had just cleared. "Always got room for you guys." He said with a smile, showing them to that table.

"Thanks Tony!" Jesseye chimed, sliding into a booth with her sister following.

He wiped his hands off on his towel then took out his notepad. "You guys want the usual?" He asked with a smile.

Shane looked to the girls for confirmation then nodded, "I'm thinking so, yeah." He answered through a laugh.

Jazza's smirk grew as she leaned her head on her hand,"And maybe *tall* glass of water?" she asked, looking up to him intently, "If you can spare it." she added smoothly.

Tony blushed lightly but nodded before leaving as if he didn't notice her unsaid meaning in the least. God Jazza knew how to make hit heartbeat. She ignored her oblivious friend who asked,"Oh, can I have some too?!" Jesseye snickered a bit as she thought water came with the meal.

Shane watched his black friend as he leaned his head on his hand. "Smooth Jazz."

The black woman laughed,"Thank you." she said with a shake of her head.

He chuckled, shook his head, then looked to Jesseye. "I don't get why she doesn't just ask him out again."

The ginger glanced to Jazza innocently, "Yeah why don't you?"

"Oh, that doesn't work the best for me." she said with a sigh, thinking of her previous relationships. Jesseye winced and nodded. Most men whom she'd asked were intimidated by her. Either they were always so skittish, or wouldn't put any effort into it, since they weren't really interested.

Shane frowned his disappointment. "Awe." he breathed a sigh and shook his head lightly, "That's dumb."

"But isn't Tony different?" Jesseye urged the question, "Yeah he's quiet, didn't he already make the first move?" The other woman shrugged and glanced to their waiter across from the restaurant. Her chances hadn't been good before, but maybe? "Look around Jazz," Jazza sighed at the irony of that command coming from Jesseye.

Shane nodded in agreement, "I think you should shoot for it." He encouraged with a smile, glancing up from his menu. Jazzabella shrugged so he furthered with,"Even *I* can tell he's not gonna let you do all the work."

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't speak more until Tony returned with their drinks. "Here we are." He said with a small chuckle as he passed out Shane and Jesseye's alcoholic drinks first.

He then glanced to Jazz and winked before handing her the tall glass of water she'd ordered. "Thank you." She chuckled lightly, her brown cheeks darkening with a soft, embarrassed glow. The man couldn't keep from snickering as he walked away to wait another table.

Shane chuckled and shook his head. "Just shoot your shiotttt, Jazzz."

"All good things come in time," she said simply while sipping her water.

Jesseye smiled at them both, hoping her words rang true with the man sitting in front of her, "Soo, Shane. What do you think you're gonna do with your pay check?" she asked with a curious cock of her head. "Still gonna skip town when this is over?" she tried to be unwavered by which way he chose to answer this question.

He shrugged while rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know, I've kinda liked you guys." He said with a laugh, looking to his friends. Her heart jumped at that.

Jazzebella smiled,"You're not bad either," she joked while Jesseye tried not to think too far into his statement.

With a sigh, he continued on. "Not sure what I'm gonna do." Spending time with these two women had truly complicated his answer. He'd grown attached. He didn't want to go, but staying would only be putting them in danger.

"Maybe you could get an apartment?" Jesseye offered with a shrug,"Near us?" she gave him a weak smile and sipped her water.

"You can't live in my yard forever," Jazza agreed with a nod. She wasn't kicking him out, but she was starting to need the space with all her new clients.

Shane laughed lightly at the suggestions. "Yeah, maybe I should. I'll look into that."

Tony walked back up to them a few minutes later and set the pizza in the middle of the table. All three of them smiled as the food looked and smelled divine.

"I've gotta plan." She said as her man returned to the kitchen, smiling softly. She watched him from afar while her friends dug in. He looked up and smiled at her. He just couldn't believe that they were really, finally, more than friends. "Don't chu worry," she whispered to no one in particular.

Shane put up his hands. "Ok ok." He mumbled with a full mouth. "I get it." He shook his head and continued gobbling up his pizza.

After a while they finished and Shane stood up. He grabbed Jesseye's hand, took one last sip of his drink, and started for the door. "Have fun love birds!" He yelled, dragging Jess with him.

The ginger blushed as she hadn't been able to prepare herself, "But, but my piiizzaa." She whined before he got outside.

As soon as the door shut, he let go of her hand. "Race you home?"

"No," she crossed her arms as she pouted.

Shane scoffed and shook his head. "You were done with your pizza, big baby. We need to get ahead of them so they can be alone." To give her incitement, he flipping her off as he ran away.

"Shhaaannneee!!" She shouted her frustration while sprinting after him.

Jazzebella scoffed as she stood, wiping her mouth off with her napkin. Those two were something else. She smiled and walked towards the kitchen,"You almost out Tones?" She asked, sitting at the bar so that she could watch him work.

He nodded and dried off some dishes. "Yeah, almost there."

His restaurant was so small that he often doubled as a cook or a buss boy, especially when most costumers were gone."The cats scat," She explained with a calm smile. "Left me with the check, but.." she paused to sit herself at the bar in front of him, "I don't mind."